So There is Nothing Religious About Intelligent Design (Part VII)

Press release announcing a talk by the Discovery Institute's Stephen C. Meyer, you know the one that writes those philosophy books they try and pass off as science.  Now it seems to me that if Meyer and his cohorts were actually trying to distinguish themselves from their religious underpinnings they might  . . . oh I don't know . . . maybe talk to audiences that aren't just as inherently religious as they are?  But that's just me, I guess.  I have discussed this a bit (here, here, here, here, here, and here)

This talk at at Trinity Classical Academy, which is defined by their own website as:

Their Mission: "  The Mission of Trinity Classical Academy is to offer a challenging education grounded in the Christian faith and the Classical tradition to produce young men and women of virtue, wisdom, purpose, and courage."

Their Statement of Faith have nine statements including:

"We believe the Bible to be the only inerrant, authoritative Word of God."

 Of course the press release says all sorts of nice things about Meyer.  It does say a few hilarious things [My comments in braces and italics]

• ". . .Meyer will share his vast knowledge of the evidence-based scientific theory that certain features of living systems can only be explained by an intelligent cause" [So I guess you have to already be a believer before he will share his vast knowledge.  How long have we been asking for any actual science when it comes to ID and none can be found.]
• ". . .Meyer was best known was an Aug. 2004 controversial review essay in the Smithsonian Institution-affiliated peer-reviewed biology journal Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington." [Better known as the Sternberg Peer Review Controversy, but they forgot to mention to results of the controversy and how the journal repudiated the article.  I wonder why?  I guess it would be less than flattering to bring up that particular abject failure.]
• "In 2008, he appeared with Ben Stein in the theatrical-released documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed." [Yes, he appeared, but do they discuss how that particular mockumentary was received?  No, too embarrassing, but you can read an interesting review here, it's nothing for Meyer to brag about!]

I really have no argument if any school wants Meyer to come and talk.  I just wish his talk would be framed is such a way to place it within context.  Passing it off as science is inappropriate.  It is , at best, philosophy and theology.  He'll be preaching to a captive audience and reinforcing the religious aspects of Intelligent Design.  Guess I really can't complain about that.  After all the more he has talks like this, the harder it is for them to sell any distinction between ID and Creationism.